Here we go again...

So here I am playing catch up again. I have a good excuse though. My family came into town this last week (my sister for almost two weeks)! It was really nice to have family around and I'm already missing them. Before I get into all the fun stuff we did this last week I still have to blog about our 4th of July weekend.

On the 3rd our ward had a 4th of July breakfast. Easton was really only interested in playing on the playground so we spent most of our time keeping an eye on him. Nathan eventually slipped away and played some soccer with other members of our ward. Nathan was wearing his sunglasses while playing and someone in our ward kicked the ball right at Nathan's face causing the glasses to break. He ended up with a little swollen eye (above his eye) and a nice scratch below his eye.

Easton playing on the playground.

Blair and Daddy!

Blair swinging

After the breakfast we came home and Easton was finally able to try out his new pool. He definitely had fun!

While Easton played in his pool Blair took a nap. Eventually Dad and Easton joined her.

Once every got up from their nap and we ate dinner we headed over to six flags to have some fun and catch the firework show.

Easton was a little unsure about these fellas.

Easton riding the carousal. He was not happy when the ride ended and he had to leave. He wanted to ride every single animal on there.

Nathan got a four day weekend so on Monday we went to the park in downtown Vacaville.

Easton on the dragon.

Blair loved climbing up to the slide and going near the slide but really had no interest in going down the slide.

Easton decided to be artistic in the bathroom. He grabbed some hand soap and drew a picture with it. According to him it is a zebra.

Zebra

Even though Nathan got a four day weekend he apparently didn't think that was long enough. He went back to work on Tuesday and then got the rest of the week off. Okay so it wasn't nearly as exciting as it sounds. Nathan had to get surgery on his jaw so that is why he had the rest of the week off. That is partly why my sister was in town for almost two weeks. She was nice enough to come early so she could watch the kids while I was with Nathan at the hospital.

Update!

About a week ago Nathan started to clear out the blocks in the back yard to start his garden but as soon as Easton saw the sand he pretty much claimed it as his new sandbox. He loves it too! After he gets up from his nap he almost instantly heads outside to play in his sandbox. As soon as Nathan walks in the door from work Easton runs up to him and asks if he'll play with him. It is really cute to see the two of them outside playing in the sand together. I think if Nathan ever wants that space back for his garden then he might have to go out and buy Easton a cooler sandbox (like one of these turtle ones...hint, hint ; )).

With all the craziness of moving and everything I was reminded from Sue that I forgot to mention one of Easton's funny sayings. For at least a week (maybe longer) anytime someone said something to Easton he would say, "huh, wha'd you say_____(fill in the blank with the person that said something to him)? It was pretty funny for the first 50 times but after that it got really old (mainly because most of the time he said it, it was because he didn't want to do what you told him to do. He would pretend like he didn't hear you). Now I actually kind of miss him not saying it anymore.

This isn't the greatest picture of Blair but it was really the only one I had that showed her two teeth! This reminds me though while we were out shopping today for a mattress I found another tooth coming in! It is one of her molar teeth! How weird is that? So she has her two bottom front teeth and now one top molar tooth. At first though I thought it might be one of her canine teeth and I was a little worried that her birth story of being born in the caul and being a vampire might actually be true. I guess in a weird way I'm glad that it's a molar tooth and not a fang! I just hope her top front teeth come in soon and that she isn't toothless for long.

Blair's learning some new funny things. She has learned to shake her head no and will either do it when she hears the word no or if someone shakes their head yes and tells her yes. She really thinks she's so funny when she does the latter one. I guess she just enjoys doing the opposite of what someone tells her to do. I think we are going to be in trouble in a couple of months when it isn't funny and cute anymore. Blair has also learned to dance. She will either bounce up and down or shake from side to side. It is pretty cute and I can't help but laugh everytime she has to clap for herself.

Video of Blair dancing while eating cake:

Nathan's convinced that she is just moving things around to make room for more cake!

Blair is still not walking but she does enjoy using what she can to get around. Her latest is her baby stroller.

Easton finally got his swimming pool today! It was late by the time we got home so we didn't fill it up but that didn't stop him from having fun sliding down the slide a few times before he had to go to bed.

We also finally got our cars back this week and they look great! I didn't know it at the time I wrote about our cars way back when but I guess my windshield actually did get cracked in two places so they had to replace the whole thing. They also had to replace the hood of my car and wanted to replace the top of my car as well but it was nationally on back order and they had no clue when it would become available. Instead they just took the roof off, hammered all the dents out, repainted it, and put it back on. Kind of crazy! I'm just glad that we finally have our cars back.

We have been keeping ourselves busy with a bunch of free stuff. I just love summer and all the fun free activities the community has for kids. We go to storytime at the library at least once if not twice a week. Also at the library/cultural center they have programs or activities for the kids every wednesday. This week Easton got to make his own flag and they had all the kids parade inside the library to music. It was really cute! Every friday they also have some sort of water activity but unfortunately we haven't made it to one yet. Maybe next week! Also this last week I took the kids to the free summer movies that regal puts on. Easton really enjoyed the movie of course. I can't say the same for Blair. She was here and there and everywhere. She just did not want to hold still for anything (well except food but once that was gone, she was done). It was definitely different from what I've been used to with Easton where he just sits there and basically doesn't move or make a sound until the movie ends.

Family Pictures

Today we went in and got our family pictures taken. I told the lady checking in that we were only getting family pictures since I brought the kids in earlier this week to get their pictures taken. But when we got called back the lady actually taking our pictures told me that she HAD to take our individual pictures. I told her the same story I told the lady before and that I didn't want her to have to go to all the trouble with the kids when we wouldn't buy any. She still insisted that she had to. At that time I was thinking, "great with my luck these pictures are going to turn out better and I'm either going to hate myself for not buying them or I'm going to hate myself for getting suckered in and buying them.." Either way it was a loose/loose situation. We tried posing the kids and getting them to hold still at least five different times with no luck. The kids wouldn't hold still long enough for the lady to snap a single picture. Eventually she just gave up. I thought it was pretty funny. I think that was the only time I was actually kind of glad that my kids were acting up and not cooperating. She did take a picture of just Nathan and me and I guess I did get suckered in and bought that one. Mainly because it's not very often that Nathan and I have a picture of just us. I think the last one was a couple months after I had Easton and it's really not the best picture. Probably because it is one of us that is taking the picture. Anyways, back to the pictures.

8x10

It's not my favorite picture but I still like it. Our family picture frame in the living room has to be a vertical picture so this was what I thought was the best vertical picture.

4-5x7 for grandparents.

I thought this was the best picture of all of us and I was a little sad that it wasn't a vertical picture.

8x10

Pictures!

I took the kids to get their birthday pictures taken today. Here's a glimpse of what we got. If you're lucky you might get some in a few weeks!

This was the best together shot we got. Blair really didn't want to get her picture taken. She just wanted her mommy. All the other pictures she is either crying, crawling away, or doing her stinky face. Although Easton is really just giving Blair a hug it almost looks like he has her in a head lock. I guess this is tradition (looking as though he is hurting her). Last years picture it looked like he was pinching her cheek but really he was just trying to tickle her. I got 2-5x7 and wallets in this one. If a grandparent wants the other 5x7 of them together let me know. The first one to ask, gets it!

Easton took some really good pictures. It was really hard to narrow it down. I got an 8x10 of the one above.

I got wallets in this one.

I'm kind of wishing now that I would have gotten some of this one. He looks so much older in this one.

We got a lot of pictures of Blair taken but unless she had something to hold on to she wasn't very cooperative.

Blair holding on to my leg. Like I said she just wanted her mommy. Although I really don't like that my leg is in the picture (it would have been so much cuter if it was just Blair) it does show who Blair truly is. She is definitely a mommy's girl! I guess this picture is just very fitting for Blair. I got an 8x10 in this one.

I got wallets in this one.

My Birthday!

So I turned 25 this year and Nathan was kind enough to inform me that I'm a two boxer now (it takes two boxes of candles to put the correct number of candles on my cake). He surprised me though by bringing home a cake and lighting 25 candles. He brought it in the house lit and didn't realize that I had just gotten out of the shower so all I hear is Nathan and Easton yelling that the house is going to catch on fire (Is that another hint that I'm getting old?). Luckily I had my outfit all picked out before I hopped into the shower so it didn't take me very long to get dressed and run down the stairs. Nathan wanted to take a picture but I wouldn't let him because well I just got out of the shower. I was a mess. So there are no pictures. I guess Nathan knows me well because we ate cake first and then went out to eat at a restaurant.

The next day we headed over to six flags. We ended up getting season passes so we will probably be there quite a bit this year. This one has animals and lot of fun things for kids to do. We definitely had fun!

We saw the tiger show.

Easton got to pet a baby alligator.

Blair just chilling out. Last official day with her pacifier.


Dad and Easton riding the balloon ride.


Easton riding the swings all by himself!
Most of the rides he isn't tall enough so he has to have a parent with him.

Dad and Easton riding the safari ride.


Video of the whale show:

I uploaded some videos in the last post so don't forget to check them out as well.

Videos

Some videos of Easton and Blair that I forgot to put up with their birthday posts. Enjoy!

Video of Easton getting his bike:

He just woke up so that probably explains why he isn't very excited. Also excuse all the boxes. Like I said in Easton's birthday post we just moved in the day before.

Video of Easton riding his bike w/ Dad's help:

We definitely need to practice with him so he knows how to use the peddles himself.

Video of Easton fishing:

This kept Easton entertained for quiet some time while we unpacked boxes.

Video of Blair putting a rock in her mouth:

Video of Blair climbing the stairs:

Video of Blair eating her cake:

Video of Blair walking between mom and dad:

We took this video yesterday after I did her one year post and surprisingly she seems a little more interested in walking. She is starting to be less timid and more daring so we might have a walker sooner than we thought. As you can see she definitely can do it, she is just too scared.

Blair at one!

First lets see how much Blair has grown over the past year...

4 days old

1 month


2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

Here's a little bit about Blair at 12 months:

Blair loves to eat and can pack it away too! This little girl has no patience when it comes to food. If she sees food or knows that it will be coming shortly she screams and hollers until it is placed in front of her. She also screams when her food runs out and she wants more. We have been trying to teach her the sign for more (which she has done a couple of times) but I think she realizes that screaming is more effective for her. Also if she sees someone with food they instantly become her new best friend. The other day she ate a whole banana, a hot dog, and 2 pieces of bread. After which she freaked out when she saw me eating ice cream because she wanted some too!

Here's Blair eating her first sucker. It took her a while to finish it but she sure loved it.

Blair is down to 1 feeding at night and we officially took her pacifier away a week ago (well except we did give it to her briefly at church on Sunday). This has made naps and bedtime hard. Blair got a baby doll for her birthday that came with a pacifier and a couple of times she has tried to steal it. It really hasn't satisfied her though.

Blair gets into everything and puts everything into her mouth. Her favorite thing to do outside is to put rocks in her mouth. We have tons in our backyard so I'm constantly squeezing those cute little cheeks to get a rock or two out of her mouth. Inside she loves to pull everything out of my cupboards and either hit things together or on the floor. I often find Easton joining in on the fun as well.

Blair isn't walking yet and doesn't seem as though she will be for a while. She really doesn't seem to be interested in walking. She's content with crawling, cruising, or holding onto a single finger. She really doesn't like to walk without something to hold onto. She has taken a few steps between mommy and daddy but she wasn't all that thrilled about it.

Even though Blair doesn't enjoy to walk she does however enjoy climbing. She tries to climb everything. She loves to climb the stairs and probably her most favorite thing to climb on is Easton's bed. I think she just enjoys looking out the window. I have caught her a few times doing this. When I find her there I take her down and carry her outside his room but of course she crawls right on back to his bed, climbs up, crawls to the window, and pulls herself up. I've also seen her try to climb on our kitchen chairs but fortunately she hasn't quiet figured that one out yet.

These two are very cute but they do love to pick on each other. Easton and Blair are also very jealous of each other too. If I'm holding one then the other has to make their way over to me as well. I often times try to hold both of them but they (mainly Easton ) will try to push the other one away. I have no idea what we will do if or when we add another little one to the mix.

Blair is such a funny little girl. It is too early to tell but I think she might be the comedian of the family. She is just so silly all the time. She seems to do things just so she can get a laugh. A couple of weeks ago she was constantly going around all day making her stinky face. Recently she is going around sticking her tongue out (especially when Dad's around) and she is also sticking her fingers up her nose. She thinks that is so funny.

Along with being funny she is such a tease. I think she gets a lot of joy out of teasing other people (especially Easton).

Blair loves to play peek a boo and she also loves it when she thinks she is getting chased.

Blair at Ikea riding the red moose.

Wearing the sombrero from Easton's birthday dinner.